Tergite
/ˈtɜːr.dʒaɪt/noun
A hardened dorsal plate or segment of an arthropod’s body.
Did you know?The related verb “tergiversate” literally developed from the idea of turning one’s back, later meaning to evade, equivocate, or abandon a position.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*tergʰ-
“Back or rear; a reconstructed Indo-European root associated with the back side of something”
Proto-Italic
PIE
*terɣom
“Back or rear part”
Classical Latin
Latin
tergum
“The back, rear, or reverse side”
Classical Latin
Latin
tergiversari
“To turn one’s back; figuratively, to evade or change sides”
19th Century
New Latin
tergite
“A dorsal body plate, formed from tergum with the scientific suffix -ite”
Modern English
English
tergite
“The hardened dorsal plate of an arthropod segment”
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